God's Perfect Plan of Redemption

The entire message of the Gospel revolves around the one and only one unique historical event - The sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the Cross. This is God's perfect plan of redemption. He offered His only Son to die on the cross as a perfect sacrifice to redeem all mankind.

The writer of Hebrews said, "For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified" (Hebrews 10:14, NKJV, emphasis added).

Notice that "perfected forever" depicts a sacrifice that comprehends every need of the entire human race. The effects of this sacrifice extend throughout time and on into eternity.

The most complete account of what was accomplished a the cross was given throught the prophet Isaiah. God made Jesus' soul (life) "an offering for sin" (Isaiah 53:10). On the cross, the sin of the whole world was transferred to the soul of Jesus. The outcome is described in Isaiah 53:12:

"He poured out His soul unto death".

By His sacrificial, substitutionary death, Jesus made atonement for the sin of the whole human race.

Paul said, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21).

The above verse is the basis of "Divine Exchange" Jesus made for us on the cross. Notice that Paul did not speak here about any kind of righteousess that we can achieve by our own tighteousness. It is the righteousness of God that we can only receive by faith. This divine exchange may be summed up as follows

Jesus ws made SIN with OUR SINFULNESS that we might become RIGHTEOUS with HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.

The divine purpose accomplished by the sacrifice of Jesus Himself is summed up:

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6, emphasis added).

The above verse describes the universal problem of all humanity - "we have turned, every one, to his own way". In other words, our iniquity is "independence" and in rebellion against God. This type of sin is common to all. Notice that not only Jesus identified with our iniquity, but He also endured all the evil consequences of that iniquity.

I believe this is the true meaning and purpose of the cross. On the cross a divinely ordained exchange took place. First, Jesus endured in our place all the evil consequences that were due by divine justice to our iniquity. Now, in exchange, God offers us all the good that was due to the sinless obedience of Jesus. This divine principle of exchange are revealed in Isaiah 53:4 and 5:

"Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed."

Notice that Jesus on the cross, took our place both spiritually and physically. Spiritually, Jesus received the punishment due to our transgressions and iniquities that we, in turn, might be forgiven and so have peace with God (see also Romans 5:1). Physically, Jesus bore our sicknesses and pains that we through His wounds might be healed.

The physical application of the exchange is confirmed by Peter who referred back to Isaiah 53:5 and 6 and said of Jesus:

"(He) Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness - by whose stripes you were healed" (1 Peter 2:24).

The spiritual and physical aspects of exchange described in the above verses may be summed up as follows:

Jesus was PUNISHED that we might be FORGIVEN; Jesus was WOUNDED that we might be HEALED.

Another aspect of the divine exchange is stated by Paul:

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich" (2 Cor. 8:9).

Actually, Jesus became poor on the cross. In fact Jesus was in absolute poverty in four expressions: He was hungry, He was thirst (John 19:28), He was naked (John 19:23), and He was in need of all things. He no longer owned anything whatever. After His death He was buried in a borrowed robe and in a borrow tomb (Luke 23:50 - 52). Thus, Jesus, exactly and completely, endure absolute poverty for our sakes. In other words, Jesus broke the poverty curse for us forever (Deu. 28:48).

Another aspect of the divine exchange is rejection by God:

"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, My God. why have You forsaken Me?'" (Matt. 27:46, emphasis added).

For the first time in the history of the universe, the Son of God called out to His Father and received no response. He was at that moment forsaken or rejected by God. The rejection of Jesus resulted in our acceptance. We were accepted by God "in the Beloved" (Eph. 1:5,6).

This may be summed up as:

Jesus endured our REJECTION that we might have HIS ACCEPTANCE as children of God.

Finally, Jesus became a CURSE that we might receive the BLESSING.

Paul said, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree'), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith" (Gal. 3:13,14).

Notice that the curse that came upon Jesus is defined as "the curse of the law". It includes every one of the curses, listed by Moses in Deuteronomy 28. Therefore, Jesus has opened the way for us to obtain full release from the curses and to enter into the corresponding blessings!

All we need to do is to received by faith, what Jesus has done for us on the cross.